A Lib Dem borough councillor claimed the use of agency staff was a consequence of new recruits being put off by possible public criticism from Conservative members.
Councillor Jonathan Abbott (LibDem, Clapham & Oakley) was responding to claims about the previous administration’s use of agency made by the portfolio holder for finance, risk and welfare, councillor Graeme Coombes, during last week’s (13 July) Full Council Meeting.
Councillor Coombes (Conservative, Wixams & Wilstead) said this year’s budget, which was put together by the previous administration, was “already under pressure”.
“I would personally point to the failure of the previous administration to address the need for full-time staff rather than relying on agency workers all the time,” he said.
“Which, as members may be aware, costs more than double,” he said.
Cllr Jonathan Abbott (LibDem, Clapham & Oakley) blamed the Conservatives for the need for temporary staff.
“I certainly know from the planning department, one of the reasons why it was so difficult to recruit staff was because of the consistent comments being made in Full Council by Conservative members about the planning department,” he said.
“Actually recruiting staff was incredibly difficult.
“So one of the reasons there was a large spend on temporary staff is actually they were looking at Bedford borough thinking why do we want to go work for an authority where there’s a risk of a Conservative administration, which has now occurred, and we’re going to be working for people who will criticise us.
“I can’t work out why anyone would want to come to work here, and that’s why the temporary staff was a problem,” he said.
Cllr Coombes said: “As far as I’m aware planning is fully staffed, the agency overspend is in adult services and children’s services.
“If you read the report, councillor Abbott, rather than just making cheap political comments then you’ll actually get a sense of what’s going on,” he said.
The Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group was asked what evidence cllr Abbott had that people were discouraged from applying for a Bedford Borough Council job because there was a risk of a Conservative administration.
A Liberal Democrat Spokesperson said: “Under our administration, anecdotal reports from officers suggested that public attacks on officers discouraged recruitment.”
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
